Hardware Podcasts

Ally shoring: Expanding manufacturing operations into Mexico

The Manufacturing Executive · 15 Nov 2022 · 29m · Episode 128

What this episode covers

Alberto Villarreal, founder and managing director of Nepanoa, explains 'ally shoring'—expanding US manufacturing operations into Mexico and Latin America—as a strategic alternative to offshoring to Asia. He outlines key benefits including 50% labor cost reductions, USMCA legal protections, and shared time zones, while noting that over 75% of Fortune 1000 companies already operate in Mexico. Villarreal details the expansion process, from defining strategic intent to navigating financing barriers and workforce demographics, citing success stories like Solar Plastics and a Dallas-based plastic assembler who relocated from China.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Nepanoa, Gorilla 76, Mission Foods, Caterpillar, John Deere, Mattel, Lego, Solar Plastics
Also
USMCA, Georgia State University

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Robo Success Podcast · 35m

    Ep. 15: Can Mexico Become Robotics’ Next Powerhouse? | The Robo Success Podcast

    Aldo Luevano, Chairman and Co-Founder of Roomie IT, explains how his company pivoted from consumer robotics to enterprise AI software due to the difficulty of proving ROI for humanoid robots in Latin America's low-labor-cost market. He argues that Mexico is positioned to become a strategic robotics manufacturing hub for the U.S. by leveraging low tariffs and compliance advantages to produce components like actuators and servo motors, or full robots, avoiding Chinese supply chain risks. Luevano highlights that while R&D capabilities in Mexico are strong, the region lacks the deep-pocketed investors needed for hardware development, making partnerships with U.S. design partners and Silicon Valley investors critical for scaling.

    Robotics & autonomyValidation & product-market fit
    7 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 6m

    BONUS - Koh Young's Ramon Hernandez talks all things Mexico at APEX 2023 - EMSNOW & SCOOP On Location

    Ramon Hernandez, Head of Sales and Service for Mexico and South America at Koh Young, discusses the manufacturing landscape in Mexico, highlighting growth in regions like Guadalajara, Chihuahua, and Tamaulipas driven by reshoring and nearshoring trends. He explains how Koh Young addresses talent shortages by promoting internally and leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies like CaseMar to help small EMS providers automate processes. The conversation covers labor inflation, the importance of company culture in retaining staff, and the current lack of domestic EMS players in the region.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringHiring & workforce
    6 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 16m

    The Success of Mexico's Manufacturing Industries Amidst Geopolitical Shifts with Ivan Romo of SMarTsol

    Ivan Romo, founder of SMarTsol, discusses how geopolitical shifts and reshoring are driving manufacturing investment into Mexican states like Chihuahua, Nuevo León, and Jalisco, with a specific focus on the automotive and EV sectors. He explains that while labor costs have risen, a demographic bulge of young workers and heavy investment in automation and digital transformation mitigate talent shortages. Romo highlights SMarTsol’s strategic shift from simple distribution to providing integrated solutions, supported by significant inventory investment and a new demo room in El Paso to serve US clients.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringScaling production
    9 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 22m

    VEXOS Launches Mexico Facility As Part of Global Growth Strategy - CEO Paul Jona Joins EMS@C-Level

    Paul Jona, President and CEO of VEXOS, announces the opening of a new 40,000 square foot factory in Juarez, Mexico, to support their global growth strategy and serve North American and European customers closer to home. The facility, scheduled to start production in late April, will initially run two Panasonic SMT lines and replicate the high-quality standards of their Markham, Canada, site through extensive training and shared software systems. Jona explains that this greenfield investment addresses geopolitical shifts and supply chain resilience, allowing VEXOS to offer regional production that reduces logistics fragility and improves sustainability. The company is also managing a post-pandemic inventory correction while onboarding 75 new customers across its expanded footprint of six facilities.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringScaling production
    7 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 53m

    285: Why Offshoring Looks Cheaper (But Isn’t): The Real Math Behind Reshoring with Harry Moser

    Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative, explains why offshoring often appears cheaper than it is due to a failure to account for Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). He argues that an overvalued dollar and short-term corporate thinking have hollowed out U.S. manufacturing, costing millions of jobs, and proposes policy fixes like a weaker dollar and stable tariffs to reverse this trend. Moser details how reshoring can restore the middle class, improve national security, and reduce emissions, while advocating for a U.S.-Mexico partnership to reclaim supply chains from Asia.

    Policy, trade & tariffsPricing, margins & unit economics
    8 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Manufacturing Executive. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.